Angel with a Shotgun
by momocandy
Summary: When Natsu, Wendy, and Gajeel found the girl half-dead on the street, of course they couldn't just leave her alone. So they brought her back to the guild. Not knowing that she was being pursued. Not knowing that she was the catalyst for destruction. And before they knew it, Fairy Tail was looking doomsday right in the eye. NaLu with other pairings.
1. The Day I Met You

**I actually had this story down for quite a while on a Word Document, and then I stupidly realized, hey, I could put this on Fanfiction!**

**So, I guess this'll be my debut into the Fairy Tail fandom!**

**I apologize for the cliched story name though, I was listening to the song (with a fairy tail amv ;)) while I was typing this and it just stuck, haha...brilliant song, by the way.**

**Anyways, happy reading!**

**Disclaimer: I will not even dare to affiliate myself with the almighty Hiro Mashima.**

* * *

**Chapter 1 - The Day I Met You**

**XXX**

Lucy flattened herself against the wall as a bullet whizzed past her cheek. She was breathing heavily, blood seeping from a deep cut above her brow and blinding her left eye. There was a pistol in her hand. She loaded the barrel and cocked it next to her ear, muscles tense. Rain pitter pattered on the gray cobblestones, alternating with her heartbeat. For a few long moments, that was the only sound she heard.

Then Lucy jumped out and fired rapidly, grinding her teeth as pain shot up her injured arm from the backlash. She heard gunshots from the other side, hitting dangerously close to where she stood, but she didn't move. There were multiple shouts of agony. The bullets kept coming. One grazed her right leg and she stumbled, but she didn't stop firing. Finally, the cries ceased and the last man fell. Lucy's chest heaved as she slumped against the wall, her face lifted towards the sky, too exhausted to mind the icy rain stinging her raw and bloody wounds.

But she couldn't stop.

She had to keep moving.

Groaning, she pushed herself off the wall and slowly limped away, the pistol slipping from her hand as her fingers fell slack. It clattered to the ground next to a trail of blood that promptly washed away in the rain.

* * *

Natsu frowned as the rain came down in larger torrents. The forecast never said anything about this. Those liars. He put his head on the table dejectedly and sighed a very un-Natsu-like sigh. Wendy, who was sitting across from him, raised her eyebrows.

"I've never seen Natsu-san like this before."

"The punk's always like this on rainy days," Gajeel, next to her, grumbled. "Think it screws around with his fire magic or something."

"Well, that's makes sense," Wendy nodded.

The three were currently in the midst of a dragon slayer outing at the ramen shop a few streets away from the guild. Wendy had proposed it as a way to get closer to each other, being dragon slayers and all, and Gajeel, the only one who refused at first, eventually gave in to the sweet little girl's innocent intentions. Wendy had never fathomed that Natsu's depression would be a hindrance to this get-together, and now she could only smile sympathetically as she watched the salmon-haired boy sigh yet again amidst the sound of the pouring rain.

Suddenly, there was a series of sharp gunshots and the three dragon slayers jumped in their chairs, Gajeel and Natsu hitting their knees painfully against the bottom of the table. The gunshots continued for a few moments, then stopped. The three of them exchanged alarmed glances, and then Wendy and Gajeel looked at Natsu. Obviously they wanted to check out what had happened, but that would mean running out into the rain, and with Natsu's handicap that would be quite the struggle.

But Natsu just shrugged at their questioning stares. His curiosity clearly trumped his sluggishness.

"C'mon, lets go!"

* * *

The three mages used their keen dragon noses to follow the scent of gunpowder down the empty streets of Fiore. But what disturbed them the most was the much stronger scent of blood that mingled with it.

Finally they turned into a wide alleyway, the cement sidewalk breaking to cobblestone. And there, crumbled on the ground, was the body of a girl, brutally battered and unconscious. What would have been beautiful golden hair was streaked with dirt and grime and blood. Her face was caked with mud and stained red on the left side; her clothes were ragged and just as filthy.

Wendy gasped in horror and a hand flew to her mouth. Natsu and Gajeel were shocked as well, but they quickly stepped over to the girl, cringing as the repugnant smell of blood filled their sensitive nostrils. Natsu located the girl's wrist and checked her pulse. For a terrifying second he felt nothing, but then it was there, soft and faint but still beating.

"We need to bring her back to the guild," Wendy came over, un-petrified and suddenly down-to-business. "She needs immediate medical attention, or she'll die."

Natsu nodded and carefully lifted the girl, cradling her head and waist, trying not to shake any possibly broken bones. The three then made haste back to the guild. Natsu no longer noticed the rain.

* * *

Lucy didn't remember when she fell.

All she knew was that one moment she was still standing, and the next moment her face was pressed against the cold, hard cobblestones. But she didn't have the energy to pick herself up or the consciousness to think straight. All she wanted to do was lay there and sleep. The feeling of the frigid rain on her bare skin no longer registered in her head. She was slipping away, slipping into darkness.

And then there was a sudden fiery touch on her wrist, and she was in the air, her head against something warm and comforting. She instinctively snuggled closer to the heat and let out a little sigh. She couldn't quite grasp what was happening, but for the first time in a long time, she felt safe and protected.

She vaguely wondered why.

* * *

Lucy awoke to loud bustling and chattering.

"Oh my god, what happened to that girl?"

"Is she ok? Is she alive?"

"Where did she come from?"

"That's horrible!"

"Who would do such a thing?"

Her eyelids felt heavy, almost as if they were glued together. She tried moving her arm, but only received agonizing pain.

"Wait, guys, please be quiet, I think she's regained consciousness!" A young girl's voice rang out next to her.

The buzzing immediately hushed down to whispers.

"Can you hear me, miss? Are you awake?" Lucy heard the girl speak gently as something soft and damp was pressed against her cheek. A towel.

She tried to nod her head, but wasn't sure if she actually succeeded in doing so. The message apparently got across because the girl continued talking.

"We found you on the streets and brought you back to our guild. Your condition is pretty bad, but I can fix that."

The voice became too distant for Lucy to actually discern any words, but then she felt a sudden soothing warmth on her body. She didn't know exactly what was happening, but it was just like a blanket, lightly enclosing her in a protective cocoon. Her pain decreased considerably, and at the same time she felt incredibly sleepy. Before long, her consciousness left her once again.

* * *

The next time Lucy was awakened by a delicious aroma of roast chicken and baked bread. She breathed in the wonderful smell and her stomach grumbled loudly, reminding her that she had not eaten a proper meal in three days. She opened her eyes, squinting at first due to the brightness, then slowly rose from the cushions she had been laying on, surprised that her body only ached dully after all the injuries she had suffered.

"Guys, look, she's awake!" A girl's voice shouted excitedly.

Lucy looked up and suddenly found herself facing dozens of people. She had been lying on a booth at a table, and there were more tables all around, along with a bar to her right. Was she at a tavern or something?

"Are you alright? Do you feel better?" A girl with long blue pigtails came up to her.

Lucy recognized her as the one who had spoken to her before. She looked down at her wounds, only to find that there were none. Her eyes widened. She felt her brow. Nothing.

The blue-pigtailed girl giggled. "I healed you already. I have healing magic. My name is Wendy, what's yours?"

Lucy just stared at her and said nothing. It's not that she was surprised at the magic—she was a mage herself actually—or that she hadn't processed the question, but just that she knew better than to give her name to someone she had just met.

In her current situation it was best to stay mute.

"Now, now, give her some space, Wendy, she's probably overwhelmed," a short, old man pushed his way to the front of the crowd. "Why don't we let her take a nice long shower first before we ask any questions?"

Blue pigtails, apparently named Wendy, gasped and backed away.

"You're right, master!" Then to Lucy, "I'm so sorry!"

Lucy just shook her head and tried for a smile. It came out more strained than she had wanted it to be.

A red-haired woman offered to escort her to the washroom. She seemed to have some sort of authority in this place, seeing as how people parted respectfully for her as she came forward. As they were climbing the steps to the second floor, Lucy just stared at the armor that covered the upper half of the woman's body. At first glance she seemed quite intimidating, but when she turned around, Lucy saw the kindness in her chestnut eyes.

"You can change into these when you're done," the woman handed her some folded clothes. "They're mine, but I think they should fit. You look about the same size as me."

Lucy just nodded and muttered a quiet "Thank you."

The shower was definitely something Lucy needed.

She washed all the grime and blood out of her hair and scrubbed her skin until it was sparkling clean. It had been a while since Lucy had felt so refreshed. The clothes that the red-haired woman had left her were a perfect fit too, beige shorts and a skinny, white V-neck.

She inspected herself in the mirror and was amazed at the flawless job that Wendy had done healing her. Lucy knew about all sorts healing drugs and potions, having taken some herself, but she'd never met a mage with healing powers before.

She made a note to thank the young girl later.

After blow-drying her hair and combing it down, she grabbed her old clothes and descended down stairs to the main floor. She was honestly extremely grateful for what these people had done for her, but in the end, she had to leave. She couldn't stay in one place for too long.

All the mages of Fairy Tail froze as the newcomer came down the stairs.

She had been so grimy and dirty before that they hadn't been able to properly see her face, but now that she had cleaned up, they noticed just how beautiful she was. Her long golden hair flowed over smooth, pale skin, framing a pair of striking amber eyes—she looked almost like an angel.

Natsu found himself staring even though he had a fire chicken kebab right in front of him, and he never looked away from his fire chicken kebabs. She just gave off an aura that attracted people.

When she reached the main level the girl came to the center of the room and bowed.

"I'm sorry for being a burden, but I'll be taking my leave now. Thank you very much for everything you've done."

And with that she turned around and headed out the guild doors. Between being captivated by her beauty and being stunned by her sudden farewell, nobody was in the right mind to go and stop her. The doors shut with a click, deafening amidst the dead silence of the guild.

"Wait, did she just leave?" Natsu gasped, coming to his senses.

"Woah, but she was so pretty," Wendy put her hands on her cheeks. "That surprised me."

"It's quite late though," Erza remarked, glancing at the clock. "Will she be alright?"

Natsu shot up, knocking down his chair with a loud clunk.

"Like _hell_ I'm gonna just let her leave like that!"

Burning with his usual fiery spirit, he charged through the guild doors.

Erza crossed her arms and sighed. That boy really couldn't leave anybody alone. She knew that under his rowdy, destructive image he had a kind and caring heart, and she herself had experienced its warmth many times before. Now she had a feeling that someone else needed it much more.

The rest of the guild watched in silence as Erza headed calmly toward the doors.

* * *

Once Natsu saw the girl's golden blonde head, he immediately started shouting.

"Hey blondie!"

The girl halted in her steps.

"You can't just come here half-dead and leave without an explanation!"

The girl turned around and her amber eyes were hard and cold, in startling contrast to the polite demeanor she had had just moments before.

"It's none of your business. Please don't follow me."

Natsu peered at her suspiciously from afar.

"You seem different…did something happen?"

"No," was her blunt response.

He peered some more.

"Well anyways, at least tell me why you were all beaten up."

The girl glared at him.

"Haven't you ever heard of privacy?"

"Well, if someone in Fiore did this to you then it's my business too. Cuz I'm a Fairy Tail mage."

The girl scoffed and rolled her eyes.

"Like I care. That's stupid."

"W_hat_?"

She sighed in exasperation.

"Look, they have nothing to do with this town, but they will soon if I don't leave_ now_. The longer I stay here, the more dangerous it's gonna be."

Natsu furrowed his brows in confusion.

"I don't get what you're saying. Who's _they_?"

The girl glared at him some more.

"Do you really think she's going to answer that?" Erza took the words right out of her mouth, suddenly walking up behind Natsu.

"Erza!" Natsu exclaimed, backing away out of habit from the intimidating female mage.

Erza moved toward the blonde girl, never breaking eye contact with her.

"Look, I don't know who you are or what circumstances you're in right now, but we aren't going to just let a girl who was half dead just a few hours ago roam the streets at night, alone."

"Well, unfortunately, that's not something for you to decide," the girl snapped before swiveling on her heel and sprinting off.

"Hey, wait—" Natsu reached out to grab her arm but was pulled back by Erza. He struggled in her grip.

"Erza, let go of me I could've gotten her!"

"Let me take care of this," she replied. "She's not someone you should deal with."

"Huh?"

Erza ran after the girl, catching up easily in a few seconds and grabbing a hold of her arm.

The girl tried unsuccessfully to yank free and whipped around, her amber eyes fierce.

"Listen, I don't think you guys understand. I. Cannot. Stay. I don't know why you're making this so hard for me when you don't even know me, but if you don't let me go, things are gonna get nasty."

Erza arched an eyebrow.

"Is that a challenge?"

The girl shrugged, but a smirk tugged at her lips.

"It might be."

Then she lunged forward and punched the just-caught-up Natsu in the stomach, effectively reducing him to him knees.

"Hey…not fair…owww!"

She ignored him and pulled a roundhouse kick at Erza, but Erza dodged grabbed her leg, flipping her over and pinning her to the ground.

"You might be able to get that idiot, but you can't get me," she returned with a smirk.

The girl snarled and tried to wriggle free, but she had underestimated how weak she had become from her wounds and couldn't break Erza's stone hard grip. She was thus dragged back to the guild yelling.

* * *

Lucy was very disappointed in herself.

Not only had she been literally beaten in two seconds flat by another female mage, but she had also failed to leave the place immediately as she had planned and was now stuck here, endangering not only herself but all of these people. Since things turned out like this, it would've been better if she had just escaped after the shower.

But then again, she'd never expected the people here to make such a big fuss over a complete stranger.

Now she found herself with her hands tied behind her back, glaring into the obsidian eyes of the funny-looking pink-haired guy who she had previously socked in the stomach.

And who had also apparently carried her to this place when she was all bloody and dirty and dying.

Lucy hated to think that she was indebted to him. She learned that his name was Natsu after hearing it countless times from the mouths of the other guild members. She also learned that she was in a mage guild named Fairy Tail, and that the female mage that had immobilized her so easily was Erza Scarlet, famed for being one of the strongest mages of all time.

That still didn't excuse how she had been beaten in less than five seconds.

Lucy made a mental note to resume her training ASAP after she got out of this mess.

"So you really won't tell us anything?" the old man—Master Makarov, they called him—crossed his arms and sighed.

"I'm glad you understand," Lucy replied stubbornly.

"Not even your name?" Wendy pouted, her blue pigtails swishing.

"How many times do I have to say _no_?" Lucy huffed.

Lucy remembered that she was indebted to this little girl too. For healing her wounds and saving her life. And she was also technically indebted to Erza for the clothes. Dammit. This is why she normally didn't accept favors.

"Are you people satisfied now?" She asked loudly. "Can I please go?"

"Why the rush?" Master Makarov shrugged. "At least stay for dinner."

Oh, there were plenty of reasons why Lucy had to rush, like, for example, wanting to stay alive…

…but at the same time, dinner sounded pretty good. Her stomach was literally caving in from lack of nutrition. And that roast chicken and bread was horribly tempting.

"…fine. But just dinner, and then I'm out."

Deep down in the dark recesses of her mind there was a voice telling her that she would definitely regret staying. But at that moment, Lucy could only think of stuffing herself full with delicious food.

She really needed to learn how to get her priorities straight.

* * *

Lucy shifted uncomfortably as she speared some lettuce and raised it to her mouth. She tried to ignore the fiery gaze of the boy crouching on the bench next to her. Natsu had been staring at her intently ever since she had sat down to eat, and it was starting to get annoying.

"Can't you just tell us your first name?" he finally said.

"No," Lucy affirmed as she bit into her bread.

"Not even the first letter of your first name?" he questioned again.

"No," Lucy repeated.

"Why not?"

"Because no."

"What about the first letter of your_ last _name?"

"FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, NO," Lucy stabbed a piece of chicken with her fork and flung it at his face, hitting him right between the eyes.

"Ack!"

"Natsu, stop bothering her," Erza ordered.

"But—she—" Natsu sputtered, motioning to the stain on his face.

"That's not how you treat girls, dude," a shirtless, black-haired mage sitting across the table snickered. This was Gray, who Lucy observed seemed to have some sort of rivalry with Natsu.

Also a stripping fetish.

She decided not to question it.

"Shut up, ice bastard," Natsu scowled.

"You wanna go, flame ass?" Gray smirked.

Their hands started to glow and Lucy observed silently from the side, somewhat anticipating their magic.

And then there was a huge explosion at the front of the guild and Lucy instinctively shot up. Natsu and Gray immediately forgot about their match and craned their necks to see what happened.

Lucy's nose instantly caught the all-too-familiar smell of death and blood.

Shit.

How were they already here?

Adrenaline coursed through her veins as she sprinted to the front of the room and spread out her arms.

"Everyone, get behind me, NOW!"

* * *

**And that concludes the first chapter!**

**I do realize this whole Lucy being strong thing is getting reaaalllly repetitive, but it's always tempting to make her more interesting in the fanfics since she is sometimes so frustratingly useless in the anime/manga ( if you know what I mean...)**

**Please tell me what you think about this story! Reviews and critiques are always appreciated! And no sugarcoating—I want to do whatever I can to improve!**

**Thanks a bunch!**

**-momocandy XD**

**P.S. **As for those readers who are currently mad that I posted a new story RIGHT AFTER I gave that long speech about priorities and update speed and stuff, I've already had this story written for quite a while and I also wanted to try something new for a change, so I hope you can forgive me. But I understand if you are still mad because this is irresponsible of me as a writer. I will definitely strive to update my other stories before summer break is over!****


	2. Capturing You

**Chapter 2 is out!**

**This is basically where I had typed up to on Word, so the next update might take a bit longer because I wanna update my others fanfics first :P**

**Happy Reading!**

**Disclaimer: When Erza stops loving strawberry shortcake.**

* * *

**Chapter 2 - Capturing You**

**XXX**

Lucy could only focus on protecting all of the guild members as she muttered one of her strongest defensive spells. In response, a huge transparent wall of magic erected itself between her and the other mages. Even though she knew that they probably had the ability and power to fight for themselves, there was no way she was going to get them involved in a fight that wasn't theirs.

Then she turned around and smiled begrudgingly at the tall, cloaked man that stood before her. His black hood covered his face so that you could only see darkness beneath the fabric.

"That was quick."

"Your scent isn't very hard to follow, Lucy," a chilling, raspy voice replied. "The trail is as bright as day, especially when you decide to stay in one place for so long. After a whole year, I thought you knew better than that, tsk tsk."

"Are you going to try to kill me again, you perverted scumbag?" Lucy had her hands poised, ready to summon a weapon at the slightest twitch of the man's finger.

"Oh my, has my goal ever changed?" The man gave a dry laugh. "We still need that golden head of yours to adorn the Master's altar. You're a rare specimen, you see. One of the last celestial mages in the world. It's a vital asset to his reincarnation."

"Reincarnation, my ass," Lucy growled. "It's already been a year and you still haven't caught me. That isn't going to change either, dumbass."

"Oh, but we were so close last time, weren't we?" the man whispered. "Except that you were lucky enough to find some, ah..." He eyes flickered to the mages behind her. "..._bugs_ to cling onto."

Lucy's clenched her jaw.

"Don't touch them. They're not involved. This is between _me_ and _you_."

"What is this, the Fairy Tail guild?" the cloaked man continued. "Pfft, what a _ridiculous_ name. Looks like I have more prey—"

"WHHAATT?"

He was interrupted mid-sentence by a sudden roar. Lucy turned around to see Natsu pounding on the magic barrier, his body ablaze, his eyes red and angry.

"What did you say? Fairy Tail—_ridiculous_? Lemme outta here Lucy, I gotta kick some ass!"

Lucy narrowed her eyes and replied with a blatant, "No."

Natsu was taken aback.

"Wait, why?"

"This is my fight—I won't let you interfere," she scowled at him.

"C'mon, you'll be stronger with two people!"

"Just shut up and watch," she snapped.

"It's not wise to have your back turned toward the enemy," the cloaked man sneered, and in the blink of an eye he disappeared and materialized in the air above Lucy with a giant axe raised above his head.

"Lucy, watch out!" Erza shouted.

But the blonde had expected this much.

She swung around as a magic circle appeared in her palm and pulled a huge sword out of thin air. Metal and metal clashed in an electrifying collision.

"Ooh, very nice," the man commented in a delighted tone.

"Where's those stupid shadow things you always have with you?" Lucy growled.

The man jumped away and struck again. Lucy once more blocked effectively with her sword.

"Or are you actually going to fight me by yourself this time?" She gritted her teeth as she held her ground steadfastly under the axe's weight.

"So impatient, little girl," the cloaked man snickered, and Lucy flinched as she saw a streak of black from the corner of her eye. She jumped up just as a shadow came rushing from the ground to grab her foot and landed heavily on the floor a few feet away.

Dammit, she had spoke too soon.

Five black shadows materialized behind the cloak man. They were indestructible minions that could take any shape and wield any weapon. They also had the special ability of being able to control the bodies of those that were once alive. The man himself wasn't much of a threat—it was these guys that did all the work.

Like, for instance, how they had had possessed the bodies of dead army men earlier that day and used the skill imprinted into those bodies to try to shoot her down. Luckily their master had been quite far away at the time, so they couldn't receive adequate energy to re-materialize after their host was immobilized. Now, with the cloaked man right here, she couldn't even hope of stopping them.

Lucy's fingers tightened on her sword as she tried to think of a strategy.

"More, more! Show me your power!"

The cloaked man struck at her deliriously and she deliberately sidestepped and weaved around all of his attacks, still concentrating intensely on her current situation.

Normally she fought in deserted areas where she didn't have to care about anybody but herself.

Normally she could battle recklessly and not worry about the subsequent destruction.

But today…

She dodged another swipe over her head and glanced at all the people watching her anxiously behind the magic wall. She saw Natsu and Erza, looking both surprised and angry.

Today she had a heavy burden.

She couldn't go on a rampage without wrecking the guild.

She couldn't just leave because she was the only one who could disintegrate the barrier, but at the same time she couldn't release it now because she couldn't assure the other mages' safety.

And she also had a feeling Natsu would do something rash as soon as she set him free.

So there was really nothing she could do.

"You seem to be thinking quite hard," the cloaked man observed amusedly as he charged toward her. "Are you in a dilemma? Being on defense all the time is quite boring for me though. Guess we'll just have to change that."

Lucy ducked his axe once again but was met underneath by two waiting shadows. Caught off guard, she slashed them apart at the very last second but didn't prevent one of them from clawing a gash in her left calf. And it was futile anyways, as the disconnected shadows merged together again behind her.

As much as she didn't want to admit it, the bastard was right. She _was_ in a bad situation right now.

A magic circle glowed on her palm and she pulled out a second sword.

There was nothing left to do but to fight with everything she had.

With a menacing growl, she lunged at the cloaked man and whirled around, striking him across the chest.

The man's lips stretched into a wide, insane grin.

"_Now_ we're talking!"

He took a step back and swiped at her right. His axe was blocked by one sword while she slashed apart three shadows on her left with the other. She flinched as another cut appeared on her arm.

Lucy had faith in her instincts and her skills, but she was gradually getting overwhelmed.

Jab to the left. Dodge. Slash.

Feint. Slash. Duck.

She had too little room to move around, and while fatigue didn't burden the cloaked man or the shadows, she was, in the end, only human.

A strong blow across the legs brought her to her knees. She jabbed one sword into the floorboards and leaned on it, breathing heavily.

Well, this was it.

She was a goner.

The cloaked man raised his axe above her head like an executioner and Lucy just glared at him, waiting for the blow.

A whole year of running away, and this is what it comes to.

Jeez, she never should've stayed for dinner.

And then all of sudden the man was flattened under a gigantic fist. His axe clattered to the floor.

Lucy blinked in surprise. She looked behind the fist to see Master Makarov standing there quite nonchalantly.

"Mister, do consider that we just spent hours healing up this girl right here. I would appreciate it if you didn't kill her just yet."

The cloaked man couldn't speak as he was still crushed into the ground. Even though he was technically immortal, Lucy could tell he suffered a great deal of damage. He would definitely need time to recover.

A few seconds later, just as she had expected, his body dissipated into black smoke, taking the shadows and the axe with him.

For a few seconds Lucy couldn't do anything but stare.

Then she breathed a huge sigh of relief and put a hand over her pulsing heart.

Thank the lords, she was still alive. This wasn't over yet.

Then she caught herself as she realized that she was once again indebted to this guild for saving her life. And she kind of had a lot to explain as well, now that they had pretty much witnessed everything.

She eyed Master Makarov warily. Master Makarov only chuckled when he saw her suspicious gaze.

"Why don't you take away this barrier first?" he nodded toward the magical wall.

Lucy blinked and realized for the first time that the old man was, somehow, _not_ behind her magic barrier.

"Uh, how did you—? I mean, the barrier…?"

"How can I call myself the master of a guild if I can't even pass through a simple barrier?" Master Makarov winked.

Lucy raised her eyebrows. This old man was much stronger than he let on. Nobody had ever been able to break through her barriers before.

She let her swords disintegrate and slowly raised her hand and muttered the counterspell. The wall flaked away in sparkles and she felt the stares of dozens of pairs of eyes.

Oh boy...

And then there was huge surge of people toward her and Lucy found herself being surrounded on all sides, slapped on the back by multiple hands and praised by even more mouths.

"That was crazy awesome!"

"I didn't know you were such a powerful mage!"

"You're so strong!"

"I wish I could be like you!"

She didn't quite know how to take it all in.

Master Makarov cleared his throat and everybody quieted down.

"Well, _Lucy,_" He approached her, and Lucy noticed how he stressed the fact that he knew her name. "Why don't you take a seat and finish your dinner? We'll be having a long discussion tonight."

Lucy just sighed. The inevitable had come.

"Alright, alright, don't push it, old man, I won't try to run away."

The Master chuckled again and there was a twinkle in his eye.

"But first…"

Lucy watched as he extended a hand toward her.

"…first, Lucy, would you like to join Fairy Tail?"

* * *

Lucy stared at Master Makarov's hand and then looked up at him incomprehensively.

"Excuse me?"

She wasn't sure if she had heard correctly.

"Would you like to join Fairy Tail?" Master Makarov repeated, unfaltering. "You are a strong mage, Lucy. This guild needs people like you."

"Really now?" she coughed, arching an eyebrow. "I don't think so, old man. Did you see what just happened? I don't think you want that happening in your guild every single day."

"_I_ think it's already too late for that," Master Makarov responded with a smile. "Even I wouldn't leave another guild alone if its guild master came and squished me into a pancake. Therefore, you might as well stay and fight against them in a guild rather than as a single person."

Lucy fell quiet as she contemplated this. Her fingers fumbled busily with a loose thread on the hem of her shirt.

"But...in the end, this is my personal problem…I don't want—"

"Agh, you're so annoying," Natsu complained loudly. "Always going like 'It's my own problems and privacy and stuff—do you really think I give a crap? In the end I'm waaay stronger than you so you should be grateful that we're offering help."

Lucy was offended.

"First, I really doubt that you are waaay stronger than me, and second, I'm just trying to do what's best for you guys," she huffed.

"That's where you don't have to worry," Master Makarov cut in. "We always get ourselves into trouble anyways—this is practically nothing compared to everything else this guild has been through."

"And to prove that you're stronger than me you have to fight me. And to do that you have to join the guild." Natsu crossed his arms, looking smug.

Lucy just glared at him.

This brat…

"Besides, you've been chased for over a year now, right?" Master Makarov asked, recalling what the cloaked man had said.

Lucy nodded.

"Well, it doesn't look like you've gotten anywhere, so why don't you try something new for a change?" He tilted his head towards his still outstretched hand.

"Join us, Lucy. We'll help you fight."

Lucy bit her lip uncertainly. She slowly moved her hand towards the Master's beckoning fingers.

Was this the right choice?

Was she making the correct decision to involve others, to depend on others?

"_And_ they called us ridiculous!" Natsu suddenly remembered, somewhat startling her. "Just thinking about it makes me mad! I'm gonna make them regret ever messing with Fairy Tail!"

Hearing this, Lucy's uncertainty was instantly swept away and a sly smile found its way to her lips. Her hand clasped Master Makarov's.

"Count me in."

Master Makarov smiled.

"Welcome to Fairy Tail, Lucy."

* * *

**This chapter was much shorter than the other, but I just felt like it would be better if I cut it off here, so I apologize if I disappointed readers who like longer chapters. **

**Tell me what you think in your reviews and critiques. Honesty is the best policy, so don't be afraid to leave suggestions or point out mistakes.**

**Thanks! You guys are the best!**

**-momocandy XD**


	3. I Challenge You to a Duel

**Almost five months later here I am with the third chapter of this story!**

**Happy Reading!**

**Disclaimer: I can pretend all I want but it'll never actually happen.**

* * *

**Chapter 3 - I Challenge You to a Duel**

**XXX**

"So you're telling me this dark guild is trying to kill you to reincarnate their master?" Natsu exclaimed. "Well…that sucks."

"And they're targeting you because you're the last living celestial mage?" Erza mused.

Lucy nodded in confirmation and sighed.

"Yeah. My mom was a celestial mage, but she died when I was really little. My father abandoned me a year ago when he realized I was being targeted by this guild. He's a friggin' coward, that bastard. But I never loved him anyways, so I guess it works out."

There was a bitter tinge in her voice. The mages of Fairy Tail all sympathized. Each of them had their own family problems.

"So, do you always pull out gigantic swords from nowhere?" Gray asked. "Is that a celestial mage thing?"

"Haha no," Lucy replied blatantly. "It's not from nowhere, it's from the celestial world. Normally celestial mages summon celestial spirits to fight for them, but it's more convenient for me to just summon weapons and use them myself. Besides, all celestial weapons are forged from celestial metal, which can't be shattered by anything from this world."

"A parallel universe!" a blue-haired girl squealed giddily as she scribbled in a petite little notebook. "No wonder they want a celestial mage for reincarnating someone."

Lucy raised a brow. We had a smartypants here.

"That's Levy," Erza chuckled. "She's a bookworm, the brains of the guild."

Being a book-lover herself, Lucy hoped that she would get to know her better.

"Lucy," Master Makarov called. He had returned from getting a beer at the bar.

"What?"

Lucy watched him take a long swig of the drink. Then he wiped his mouth with a satisfied 'Ahhh' and set the mug down.

"Would you mind telling us your last name? It should be all right now, shouldn't it?"

Lucy blinked.

"Oh, right, I guess so."

She looked around at all of the now-curious mages.

"It's Heartfilia. Lucy Heartfilia."

"Lucy Heartfilia…" Natsu tested out the name on his tongue. "Hmm, sounds weird."

Lucy glared at him.

"With a name like Natsu _Dragneel, _you can't say much."

"Hey, my name comes from a dragon, it _can't_ sound bad," Natsu boasted defiantly. "You're just jealous."

"Ha, you wish," Lucy scoffed.

"Look, doesn't Lucy _Dragneel_ sound better than Lucy _Heartfilia_?"

"I beg to differ. It should be Natsu _Heartfilia_, not Natsu _Dragneel_."

"Wait, Heartfilia, I remember that name!" Levy suddenly jumped up with wide eyes, interrupting Lucy and Natsu's argument. "Many years ago, the Heartfilia family was one of the most prestigious families here in Fiore. But due to the death of the heir's wife, they moved elsewhere and then just disappeared. Are you…their daughter, by any chance, Lucy?"

"Wow, wise girl," Lucy raised her eyebrows. "Yeah, Fiore is actually my hometown."

"But they never publicized that they had a child," Levy wondered. "Maybe they wanted to protect you?"

Lucy just shrugged. "I don't know. But the past is the past. I have no more connections. Right now, I'm just Lucy."

"You mean Lucy of Fairy Tail," Natsu reminded her. "You're part of us now."

Lucy smiled. "Right, how could I forget?"

"Oh and Lucy, one more thing," Master Makarov said.

"What, old man?"

"Do you know anything about the people who are chasing you? I'd like to know who we're up against."

Lucy rested her chin in her palm and tried to recall.

"Well, I think they told me the name of their guild the first time we met..."

Master Makarov nodded, prompting her eagerly.

"...but I forgot."

His head dropped in slight exasperation.

"Wow, good job, Heartfilia," Natsu chuckled as he patted her on the back.

"Shut up, it's been a year, and _don't_ call me Heartfilia, I hate that name," Lucy snapped. "But anyways—"

She turned back to Master Makarov.

"—I _do_ know that they're from some dark guild. They always cover themselves in black and use lots of shadow magic, obviously." She was referring to the shadow minions, and Master Makarov nodded. "But they move around a lot so its hard to pinpoint a location. Oh, and they need my head to reincarnate their master."

Lucy thought some more.

"Yup, that's about it."

"A dark guild that wants to reincarnate its master…" Master Makarov mused. "Thank you, Lucy, I'll look into it."

"Yeah, that'd be great."

Master Makarov continued muttering to himself as he went upstairs to his quarters. A moment later, Mirajane, the bartender, came bouncing over, holding what seemed like a stamp.

"Since it's been so long since we've gotten a new member, I can't find any of the other stamps besides the pink one, sorry! Where would you like it, Lucy?"

"A stamp?" Lucy echoed, confused.

She didn't really know what was going on, so she stretched out her hand uncertainly. Kids usually put stamps on the back of their hands, right?

"Over there? Alrighty!"

Mirajane pressed the stamp down and there was a poof of sparkles and Lucy found the light pink insignia of the guild printed on her hand, matching with the various colors of the other guild members.

"Wait, that was for the guild insignia?" she gasped. "Wait, wait a second, I didn't know that! Mirajane, can I move it to my arm or something? It looks weird on my hand. And ew, why pink?"

"Sorry, sweetie. It's permanent once it's on, so I can't give you another," the bartender smiled apologetically. "And we only have pink right now."

Lucy groaned. It was just like her to mess up her first guild insignia. This must be a bad omen.

"Why? I don't think pink looks bad," Natsu leaned over and looked at her hand. "It suits you."

Lucy scowled.

"Pink is the most _disgusting_ color there is! What do you mean _it suits me_? I. Hate. Pink."

Natsu gave her a look.

"And she says to the guy with pink hair."

Lucy stopped abruptly and her eyes flickered to the mess of pink on his head, and then she burst out laughing.

"Right, you have freaking pink hair, I forgot!" She reached up and rustled his hair and Natsu just recoiled, staring at her suspiciously.

"Did you just laugh? I didn't know you knew how to laugh."

Lucy slapped his arm, serious again.

"Of course I know how to laugh, you dumbass. What, you thought I wasn't human or something?"

Natsu's eyes told her that that was exactly what he had thought.

"Jeez, you judge too quickly," Lucy grumbled. "Now that I'm in the guild, I might as well enjoy it."

"That's the spirit, Lucy," Cana, the guild drunkard, drawled as she raised her mug of beer. "You're one of us now. Three cheers for Lucy, everyone!"

A cluster of beers rose in the air.

"Hip hip hooray! Hip hip hooray! Hip hip hooray!" voices shouted in drunken, merry unison.

Lucy laughed again. She hadn't felt this happy in a very long time.

* * *

That night, Master Makarov led Lucy to an inn near the guild where she could stay, since all the dorms in the guild were filled. That night, for the first time in a year or so, Lucy slept comfortably and soundly in a soft, warm bed.

And that morning, as the sun's golden rays leaked through the blinds of her window and pried open her sleepy eyes, she came face-to-face with a mass of pink on the pillow next to her.

.

.

.

"HOOOOLLLLYYYY SHIIIITTTTT!"

The whole town was woken up by a girl's surprised scream.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING IN _MY_ ROOM, IN _MY_ BED?" Lucy grabbed the just awakening Natsu by the collar of his shirt and threw him onto the ground.

"Gack!" Natsu yelped as his face made contact with the floorboards and he scrambled up groggily. "That hurt! What the hell are you doing?"

"WHAT ARE _YOU_ DOING IN _MY_ ROOM?" Lucy repeated, furious. "DID I GIVE YOU PERMISSION TO COME IN HERE? I DON'T THINK SO."

"C'mon, it was cold outside!" Natsu whined. "And your bed looked so nice and soft…"

"GET YOUR OWN ROOM YOU IDIOT!"

"But my house isn't as comfy and yours…"

"YOU HAVE A FRIGGING HOUSE?"

"Well, yeah…"

"THEN WHY ARE YOU EVEN HERE GO AWAY NOW."

"Damn, you're so rough."

"LEAVE BEFORE I KILL YOU AND DON'T EVER COME HERE AGAIN."

"Jeez, I got it, I got it, I'm leaving now," Natsu crinkled his nose in displeasure and went to the door. "So grouchy, man."

The door closed and Lucy let out a huge sigh as she slumped to the floor. Actually, she didn't mean to shout that much, and she wasn't really that mad at him.

"I'm the idiot," she muttered, clenching her hand into a fist.

After so many years, she still lingered over her mom's death. Her mom, who had been murdered in her sleep. To think that it still affected her to the point where she would freak out like this, she really was pathetic.

"Ahhh, this sucks," Lucy huffed and slowly got up. "The past is the past. Get over it, stupid."

She went into the bathroom and took a quick shower, hoping the cool water would clear her thoughts. Then she pulled on the T-shirt and shorts that Erza had given her the other day and smacked both of her cheeks hard as she looked into the mirror.

_You can do it Lucy, pull yourself together._

On her way out, she noticed the slight dent in the floorboards where Natsu's face had made contact with them.

Cringing, she muttered under her breath, "First things first—I gotta apologize."

* * *

Natsu walked into the guild that morning with a grumpy frown on his face and a very red cheek. Considering the fact that he usually barged in all smiles and laughter, it didn't take long for the other mages to notice.

"What's up, flame brain?" Gray strode up and looked at him questioningly. "And what's with that face? You look like you were smacked—_hard_."

Natsu crossed him arms and turned his nose up. "I don't even get why she got so mad, I just wanted a nice place to sleep."

"Who?" Gray asked, before smirking. "Don't tell me—the new girl?"

Natsu's grumble confirmed his guess, but also brought Erza into the conversation.

"Natsu, what did you do to Lucy?" she demanded in a low voice.

"Nothing! I just slept in her bed—"

"WHAT?"

Gray facepalmed as Erza grabbed Natsu by his white checkered scarf and drew him close to her face.

"Say that again, Natsu. What did you do?"

Natsu raised two trembling hands, trying to calm Erza's fury.

"Now, now, Erza, I don't know why _you're_ getting so mad—"

"YOU IMBECILE!" Erza threw him out of the door and huffed as he skidded painfully on the cobblestones. "How moronic can one boy get—sleeping in a girl's bed—poor Lucy I hope she's not traumatized..."

"She's NOT!" Natsu cried defiantly as he rubbed the new bruise on his other cheek. "She's functioning completely fine—she friggin' threw me on the ground that monster woman—"

"Natsu!"

Natsu quickly clamped his mouth shut and turned around.

"Speak of the devil," Gray snickered. "Here she comes."

Lucy came to a stop before the still fallen boy and put her hands on her knees, panting. The she took a deep breath, stood up straight, and regarded him with a composed expression.

"I want to apologize for my actions this morning."

Natsu's eyes widened and he just stared.

Lucy flushed slightly before adding, "Not that's it's okay for you to sleep in my bed because it's NOT, but I overreacted. I'm sorry."

Natsu stared some more, his fingers unconsciously playing with a pebble on the ground. Then he looked away.

"Well, it's okay, I guess..."

Then he stopped.

"No, it's not okay."

Lucy blinked. "What?"

"It's not okay."

Natsu slowly got up, brushed himself off, and looked at her with bright, eager eyes.

"You gave me this injury," he pointed at his cheek, "And you'll have to pay for it...by having a duel with me."

Lucy cocked an eyebrow.

"Excuse me?"

Natsu grinned triumphantly and pointed a finger at the blonde girl.

"Lucy, I challenge you to a duel. And you can't decline."

Lucy mouth opened slightly as if she wanted to say something, but then she just sighed and shrugged.

"Fine, I don't really care. But just a warning, you'll have a lot more than that little bruise when I'm done with you."

Natsu smirked, his fighting spirit igniting.

"Bring it on."

* * *

"Hiyyyaaa!" Natsu charged toward the blonde girl, his fists on fire. "Karyu no Tekkkkeeen!"

Lucy deflected the punch with the broad side of her blade and jumped over him gracefully.

"You only use your fists to fight?" she inquired, admiring the fiery flames.

"My fists are all I need," Natsu smirked, bashing them together.

Lucy returned the smirk as she let her sword disintegrate. Then she resumed a fighting stance, fists poised and ready. Natsu's eyebrows raised.

"You're...not going to use a weapon?"

Lucy laughed.

"Now how would it be fair if I had a sword that could cut but you only had fists that could bruise?"

"Don't underestimate me, Lucy."

"Oh, but I'm not. I'm just as strong with or without a sword."

As she said this, her hands lit up with a golden flame, and Natsu's lips curved upwards.

"Cool, I'm all fired up."

And then they both charged.

* * *

Natsu had never met someone so on par with his movements. Even Gray would have faltered by now. But Lucy stayed up, albeit sweaty and out of breath, enduring magnificently. He himself was charged with adrenaline, and each kick and punch sent a shock of satisfaction through his body. He had never felt so thrilled during a fight before. He had never felt so content.

Their punches clashed in harmony, their kicks crossed each other in equilibrium. It was almost like a warrior's dance for two. Jab for jab, swipe for swipe, not a single movement wasted. It was fluid yet spontaneous, impromptu yet coordinated.

It was art. Red and gold art.

Finally with one last punch, both sent the other flying, and the two fighters landed roughly on the ground with about twenty feet in between them. The sun was already a fiery red circle on the horizon and the clouds were rimmed with gold.

"You're...really good..." Natsu squeezed out with the last of his energy.

"Same...to you..." Lucy smiled weakly.

Then knees buckled and eyes closed and both mages pitched into darkness.

Inside the guild, Erza, no longer hearing the telltale shouts of battling, walked outside to find the two fighters knocked out cold.

"Oh goodness," she sighed and shook her head, chuckling softly. "Gray, come here and help me carry Natsu!"

"Woah," Gray replied to the sight that greeted him outside. "They're both beat."

"I'll bring Lucy to her apartment. You take care of Natsu."

Gray groaned at the thought of dragging the unconscious fire mage to his house, but at a pointed glare from Erza, he quickly complied, "Yes, ma'am."

Erza began lugging Lucy's body down the silent cobblestone street. It was dark now, and the full moon was rising slowly to a sky full of stars. When she got to Lucy's apartment complex, the landlady, recognizing who she was, kindly unlocked Lucy's door for her.

The thing that immediately struck Erza when she entered the room was how empty it was. There was absolutely no accessories, no personal belongings, no nothing. Just the basic pieces of furniture and a nice window view. It was then that Erza decided that first thing tomorrow morning she would be taking Lucy out on a shopping date, whether the girl liked it or not.

The red-haired mage gently set a now snoring Lucy on her bed and smiled. She knew that this girl had been through a lot, and she was glad that she had been able to open up, even if only slightly, to the mages of their guild. With her own tragic past behind her, Erza wanted to show this girl that she was not alone.

Now she was a part of Fairy Tail, and that meant that she had friends who would stick by her until the very end, no matter what happened.

* * *

Somewhere far, far away, in a room shrouded in darkness...

"My Lord, Phantom hasn't recovered yet."

"It doesn't matter. Send _him_ after her. Do whatever it takes to kill her. I've spent enough years in this useless piece of rubbish. I want my body back, and I want it _now_."

* * *

**And finished! So, a more laid-back chapter for the most part, with an attempt at suspense at the end ;D**

**Questions, comments, and critiques all go in that box down there. Feel free to tell me anything! (which is my nice way of saying 'I WANT THEM REVIEWS')**

**Happy Holidays!**

**-momocandy XD**


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